Calico Pair Armchairs
Calico pair armchairs offer matching seating upholstered in plain cotton, delivering balanced proportions and restful comfort for sitting rooms.
Calico Pair Armchairs
Calico pair armchairs encompass matching seating upholstered in unbleached cotton, appearing across nineteenth century, nineteen hundred, and Edwardian periods. These pieces include English country house scroll back armchairs, deep seated armchairs, slipper chairs, and bedroom chairs.
The selection ranges from English country house designs to French styles such as Napoleon III, French chateau, French country, and French provincial. Buyers meeting these items will find matching pairs ready for final top covers or use in their current state.
Materials and Construction
Construction relies on timber frames built from beech and walnut, providing robust support for deep seats and scroll backs. Internal stuffing uses traditional methods secured with hessian and finished with calico as a base or primary upholstery cover.
Detailing often incorporates brass elements alongside wooden components, reflecting the craftsmanship of nineteenth century workshops and Edwardian cabinet makers.
Listings feature items from the nineteenth century, nineteen hundred, and the Edwardian period, spanning English country house and French provincial styles.
Assessing Quality
Quality rests upon the structural integrity of the wooden frames, where sturdy beech or walnut supports ensure lasting stability. The precision of the upholstery foundation, seen in the tension of the hessian and calico layers, dictates the comfort and silhouette of each armchair.
Stylistic refinement separates standard examples from distinguished pieces, with scroll back forms and maker attributions displaying superior proportions and carving work.
Howard and Sons
The Calico Pair Armchairs Glossary
- Calico
- A plain woven cotton fabric used as an upholstery cover or foundation layer beneath decorative textiles.
- Hessian
- A coarse woven fabric made from jute fibres, traditionally employed for webbing and internal padding support in seating.
- Scroll Back
- A chair design featuring a backrest that curves backward at the top in a scroll shape.
- Slipper Chair
- A low-seated upholstered chair originally designed for bedrooms, allowing ease of dressing.
- Napoleon III
- A mid to late nineteenth century French design style combining eclectic revivals with opulent comfort.
Calico Pair Armchairs: Frequently Asked Questions
What are calico pair armchairs?
Calico pair armchairs are matching sets of seats upholstered in plain cotton fabric, designed for parlours, bedrooms, and sitting rooms.
They originate from the nineteenth century through the Edwardian era, encompassing English country house and French regional styles.
Can I use them without recovering?
Calico upholstery serves as a tight foundational cover that many owners leave bare for a minimalist aesthetic or shabby chic interior.
The durable cotton fabric provides a clean, neutral surface that functions well in casual spaces without an outer textile.
How do I identify French styles?
French armchairs from this selection often display distinct provincial or chateau influences, including Napoleon III curves and lighter wood framing.
Comparing the silhouette against English scroll back designs highlights the characteristic proportions of continental seating.
What woods were used inside?
Framing timbers primarily consist of beech and walnut, chosen for their strength and ability to hold complex shapes.
Internal construction also incorporates supportive hessian webbing and traditional stuffing materials beneath the calico layer.